


i can't fake it

by skyblush



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: (Not a lot), (endless cheese), Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Friendship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 02:17:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11796372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skyblush/pseuds/skyblush
Summary: No matter how much he attempted to avoid it, he would somehow always get dragged into a circle of people, to play an everlasting game that always ended in either embarrassment or regret. But when Lee Donghyuck surprisingly agrees to go on a date with him, Mark thinks that Truth or Dare might not be so bad.





	i can't fake it

**Author's Note:**

> Written for nct write write! (Also very excited to read the other fics from this fest, check them out!) 
> 
> May or may not have overindulged while writing this but I just love them so... it couldn't be helped. Hopefully you love them just as much as I do! Also, the hair colors are based from My First and Last (as well as Cherry Bomb era). This was written before the new (!!) hair colors were revealed.

Mark honestly did not know how his friends managed to drag him to yet another one of Jaemin’s “house” parties where all they did was play board games and drink fruit juice like it was alcohol. He _certainly_ did not know how they managed to drag him into his least favorite game, Truth or Dare.

“Guys, do we have to do this? Why can’t we just play Monopoly again?” he whined, dreading what they were going to make him confess this time. They all sat in a circle, on Jaemin’s soft carpet, drinks balanced precariously in front of them. Though it hardly passed as a circle given that Renjun was practically in Jeno’s lap and Jaemin was the only other one there. Mark tried to plead with his eyes but he only got smirks in return. 

“Mark, you’re not even good at Monopoly—I don’t know why you always want to play,” Jaemin responded, picking up his orange juice to sip on it. “You only buy the railroads.”

“He’s right. Mark, you always lose before any of us and end up as the banker,” Renjun added, his fiery red hair adding spark to his words.

Mark reached to scratch his neck and furrowed his eyebrows. “What’s wrong with railroads? Trains are nice...” he muttered under his breath. They were not wrong about him being bad at Monopoly. Ever since they first played Monopoly together, they realized Mark was a lost cause. Now he starts with the money box to save them the trouble of passing it to him later.

“Trains are nice, but Truth or Dare is nicer,” Jaemin said, smiling the most deceptively innocent smile Mark had ever seen in his life.

“It’ll be fun! Truth or Dare is always fun!” Renjun looked up at Jeno for confirmation and Jeno only smiled back at him. Mark would protest against that statement. Last time they played he had to divulge some sensitive information that they would not stop bothering him about afterwards. His sneaky friends had almost made him say who made his heart beat a little faster when he thought of them but thankfully Jaehyun, Jaemin’s older brother, had made all of them go home right after he revealed that he may or may not have a small crush on someone at school. He still had to thank Jaehyun for that.

“You can even go first.” Jeno smiled back, his eye-smile a little too bright for the given circumstances.

Mark glared at each one of them before sighing. It was 3 versus 1 anyways, and he did not want to go home early on a Friday. Maybe this time it wouldn’t be so bad. He could only be glad at this point that Donghyuck ended up declining his offer, getting him involved in this game would only spell disaster.

 

* * *

 

“Donghyuck-ah!” Mark ran up to the dark-brown haired boy exiting the school gate, backpack bouncing against one shoulder as he hadn’t bothered to put both straps on. “Are you coming to Jaemin’s party today?”

Donghyuck scoffed, “Jaemin’s hosting another party?” He air-quoted the last word for emphasis. “Honestly tell me if you guys do anything other than play card games and drink juice.” Donghyuck turned his head and looked at him expectantly but kept walking.

Mark was taken aback but managed to whisper a, “last time we played Monopoly” under his breath.

“So you play board games and drink juice, that’s not much better,” Donghyuck said, turning away. The sun was starting to set; its rays of light sprinkling over Donghyuck’s cheeks, casting a warm glow over his already tanned skin. Mark found himself distracted for a moment before he remembered that he was in a conversation, and that it was his turn to respond.

“Well,” Mark cleared his throat, “it’s a Friday, what else do you have to do on a Friday?” Donghyuck had never actually joined him and their other friends for one of Jaemin’s parties before but he always tried to get Donghyuck to come along. He always felt outnumbered even though he was sure if Donghyuck was there the teasing would be as bad, if not worse. Did he really need someone else complaining about how he only bought railroads?

“I have homework to do,” Donghyuck bluntly responded, breaking Mark out of his train of thought. 

Mark raised an eyebrow at him, even though the other wasn’t looking at him. Donghyuck, doing homework, on a Friday night—even Mark could tell that something was not adding up. It wasn’t as if Donghyuck was a slacker, but there had been many times where he had forgotten to do his homework and asked if he could copy Mark’s. Mark always let him copy; he could never say no to the panicked and apologetic look on Donghyuck’s face. So doing homework on a Friday night seemed a bit too responsible for his mischievous friend.

“Don’t you have the entire weekend to do homework though? I mean, what do we have, like… chemistry and math?” Mark said while waving his right hand in front of him, gesturing at the floating subjects of “chemistry” and “math.” While he was busy gesticulating, he didn’t fail to notice Donghyuck’s steadfast gaze falter a bit—so he was onto something. “I mean, I could even help you if you wanted….”

“Really?” Donghyuck said and turned, a little too fast. He coughed and stared straight ahead again. “Don’t get the wrong idea, it’s not like I need the help.” Mark assumed he was going to stop talking there, and was about to embarrassingly retract his offer. “But,” Donghyuck started again, “Doyoung’s been on my case lately, so the help would be nice.” He turned and smiled at Mark, the sunlight causing his eyes to sparkle a bit more than they usually do. Mark laughed, knowing how his older brother was, an overprotective worrywart.

“Yeah, I can help you get the purple monster off your back,” Mark smirked, referencing Doyoung’s recently dyed hair.

“Why did you have to bring that up?” Donghyuck whined and gave Mark an exasperated look. “I have no idea why he and Taeyong decided to dye their hair. I can’t even go out in public with him anymore!”

“I can relate, Taeyong’s hair doesn’t exactly blend into the crowd either.” Mark ran his fingers through his own hair as he said this, laughing while remembering his brother’s pink hair.

“You’re right. Actually, Taeyong’s is worse, so I guess you’re suffering more.” They both laughed at this.

 

* * *

 

Mark wrung his hands next to his locker, head spinning. Mondays were bad enough on their own, why did his friends have to make this Monday even worse? He felt a small tap on his shoulder and snapped his head up to look around.

It was Jaemin, walking away with a group of friends, a teasing smile playing on his lips. Jaemin flashed him a double thumbs up, as if that would calm his nervous heart.

 

* * *

 

“Okay, so, Mark is next." 

“Mark, truth or dare?”

 

* * *

 

Mark wiped his hands on his jeans for the fifth time that class, trying to ignore the fact that Donghyuck was sitting right next to him. He usually felt pity for their math teacher, who had to teach trigonometry to a bunch of bored high schoolers, as the last class of the day, but today he felt more pity for himself. He shot a glance at Donghyuck, surprised that the other was furiously drawing triangles in his tattered notebook, before remembering that he had a pretty strong incentive to focus. If only more people had a Kim Doyoung in their lives.

He spun his pen around his fingers and tapped it a few times on his desk before a girl in front of him snapped her head back to glare at him. Embarrassed, he put down the pen for a minute before he sighed and ripped off a sticky note from his notebook.

 

* * *

 

“Dare.” This way they wouldn’t force him to actually say who had been occupying his mind lately. He hoped. What he failed to notice was Renjun and Jaemin’s shared glance and Renjun tapping Jeno on the thigh.

“Alright well,” Jeno started, “we—” he gestured to their small group.

“Wait, hold up. We? I thought this was supposed to be a one-to-one, you-to-me, Jeno Lee-to-Mark Lee dare here?” Mark was exasperated now. They were up to something.

“Well, technically it’s a Jeno Lee-to-Mark Lee dare, but you could say I’m easily influenced.” His eyes traveled down to Renjun who had been leaning on him this entire time. Mark groaned and reached for his apple juice.

He took a large gulp and straightened his back.

“Okay, hit me with it.”

 

* * *

 

_Hey, meet me by my locker after class._ Mark wrote on the blue sticky note, before pressing it on Donghyuck’s desk beside him. They sat in the back of the class, not that their teacher would notice anyways, too engrossed in emphasizing they had a quiz next week.

Donghyuck read the sticky note and squinted at Mark, scoping him out. At this point Mark had flipped the page of his notebook and started scribbling. _Sine is opposite over hypotenuse. Tangent is adjacent over hypotenuse. Cosine is…._ He could only hope that he turned the page quick enough, to hide his many drafts of the sticky note message.

A minute later, the sticky note was returned, with a, _Sure,_ along with a: _Also, cosine is adjacent over hypotenuse, are you even paying attention?_ Mark quickly crossed out what he wrote before and gave Donghyuck a small smile while scratching his neck. Donghyuck only squinted at him again and shook his head in disapproval.

 

* * *

 

“We dare you to ask Donghyuck out on a date. And you have to make it clear that it’s a date and not just hanging out like you usually do, like going to get smoothies or watching movies at each other’s houses. We know that happens a lot so—” 

“Wait what?” Mark cut off Jeno’s rambling. “Hello? Did I miss something here?” Mark had placed down his juice but was now dangerously close to knocking it over with his flailing. 

“You’re going to ask Donghyuck out on a date.” Jaemin repeated, with a straight face.

“Uh…” He didn’t know what to say, the gears in his mind started to turn all too fast. He and Donghyuck were friends, really good friends, but just friends. And on top of that how did they even know? 

“So we kind of figured after you ditched us to hang out with Donghyuck for the last two Saturdays.” Renjun said while holding up two fingers for emphasis, eyebrows raised knowingly.

“Okay but, I would be third wheeling you two,” Mark drew a circle in the air around Jeno and Renjun, “again, for the thirtieth time this year.”

Renjun gasped and put a hand over his mouth. “But Jaemin doesn’t mind!”

“I don’t mind. And you two aren’t that bad. Mark and Donghyuck are just no fun.”

Mark would say it was Donghyuck’s fault that he had ditched them for the last two weeks. He usually enjoyed hanging out with the couple and Jaemin, but that was usually because Donghyuck was also there. Recently though, Donghyuck had chosen to not hang out with the group, complaining about third wheeling and his bitter heart. Mark had no idea why the sudden change in mood but he had learned not to question these things and decided to keep him company instead. It seemed to lift his mood and he thought the other three didn’t mind but—

“We need you guys to hurry up and get together so you can hang out with us again!”

“And don’t try to get out of this. You have three witnesses.”

Mark rustled his hair and then buried his face in his hands.  

 

* * *

 

Mark leaned against his locker, backpack slung over his right shoulder, lighter now that he had put back half of his books. Be calm and casual, he repeated to himself.

Donghyuck walked up behind him before hitting his locker next to his head. Mark jumped, startled, before turning to look at who broke him from his trance.

“You good?” Donghyuck raised an eyebrow, left hand fiddling with his backpack strap. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

This was the big moment.

“Um, just wondering, are you free tomorrow night maybe…” Mark did not think this through. Tomorrow was a Tuesday. “Or anytime really, to get food and maybe ice cream afterwards, only if you want, as a d-date?” He choked that last part out.

Donghyuck froze for a second, the detached look on his face fading, before snapping right back. Mark was glancing around, examining the patterns on the ground, when Donghyuck replied with a short, “Sure.”

“What?” Mark slapped his hand over his mouth and mentally cursed at himself. Donghyuck was now tugging on his backpack strap. “I mean, yeah, great. We can just go to that burger place you like and then ice cream and yeah. I can pick you up at your place?”

Donghyuck smiled, lighting up Mark’s entire field of vision before saying, “That would be great. But don’t be late. I need my beauty sleep.”

“Yeah,” Mark breathed out, “Of course.”

 

* * *

 

One could assume Mark would be over the moon about Donghyuck’s response, and they would be right, but he was also nervous out of his mind. After getting back from school Tuesday afternoon, he had ran to the bathroom to freshen up, to Taeyong’s confusion. It wasn’t until Mark was running back and forth from the bathroom to his bedroom with a different outfit on each time that he had decided to ask him about it.

“Okay what’s up little lion?” Taeyong leaned against the bathroom doorframe, blocking Mark’s path. “You’re either getting ready to put on a private fashion show or you’re going on a date.” Upon seeing the faint blush on Mark’s ears, he assumed it was the latter. “You need some help?”

Mark looked up from the shiny zipper on his jacket. “Please?” He had already ruled out half of his wardrobe and the desperation was rising. “I can’t decide between this pair of pants and the black ones.”

Taeyong’s eyes scanned him from top to bottom. He shook his head. “The pants are fine, but that jacket is burning my eyes.” So what the leather jacket was a bit outdated, Mark thought it was appropriate. “You can borrow one of mine.” He said before slipping into his bedroom and coming out with an oversized black bomber.

Mark thought it was too mature for him, but brother knows best, so he pulled it on and headed out.

 

* * *

 

Being the young and also broke teenagers that they were, walking was the main method of transportation. Mark never cared before, but he thought he would at least like to impress Donghyuck with a bicycle right about now.

“You look good,” were the first words that came out of Donghyuck’s mouth when he opened the front door.

“Thanks,” Mark had replied, that damn blush creeping up on his neck again. He willed it away when he saw the purple monster himself, Doyoung, looming behind.

“Don’t come back too late kids!” Doyoung had yelled when they started to walk away. Donghyuck had brushed him off with a wave of a hand, but both of them knew they would be back on time.

Now they were walking side by side. Hands close but far. The sunlight was again, teasing them as it flickered on and off Donghyuck’s face as they passed underneath the trees. Mark found it hard to tear his eyes away. He didn’t say it, but Donghyuck also looked good.  

 

* * *

 

Their dinner progressed more smoothly than Mark had anticipated. As awkward as Mark was, Donghyuck was laughing at his poorly-made jokes and joking right back with him. Mark gave himself a mental pat on the back when he saw Donghyuck devour his burger and fries. He decided to move “watching Donghyuck eat” higher up on his list of things he liked to do.

“Ready to get ice cream?” Mark said while sipping on his water. Donghyuck nodded and wiped his mouth. “Actually, I’ll be right back and then we’ll go.” He downed the rest of his water and gestured at the restroom. Something about being around Donghyuck made his mouth dry.

“Sure, Mr. Thirsty.” Donghyuck quipped back. Mark chuckled before leaving.

When he returned, Donghyuck was nowhere in sight. What was left on the table was a few napkins, their burger wrappers, and his phone. Mark wondered if someone was playing some cruel joke on him. Desperate for some answers, he checked his phone, maybe Donghyuck had texted him. He was disappointed to find no messages from Donghyuck but one from Jaemin. _How’s that dare goin Mr. Mark Lee?_

Well now he had confirmation that all his friends were fools. He rubbed his face with his hands, trying to come up with an explanation for what happened. The only thing that he could think of was that Donghyuck saw the message when it came up on his phone, and currently thought the worst—that Mark was being forced into taking him out on a date. The only thing he could do was run outside to try to catch him and explain the misunderstanding.

 

* * *

 

Doyoung glared at him from the doorway. “Donghyuck is currently,” he paused, trying to find the right words, “contemplating his life decisions. I don’t think you could help right now.”

If Mark could plead more with his eyes he would. He was currently hovering between tearing up and slamming his fist on the nearest flat surface. The bomber Taeyong had lent him was feeling heavier and hotter than before. “Please? I need to talk to him.” Mark was close to getting on his knees.

Maybe it was the sweat on his forehead or his uncontrolled breathing that led Doyoung to pity him. But he was still Donghyuck’s second mom, so he had a job here. “I’ll give you five minutes. If he’s still crying by then, I don’t want to see you within a fifty-foot radius of here ever again.”

Mark nodded frantically. _Wait, Donghyuck was crying?_ The panic rose in Mark’s chest. He looked at the flowers in their front yard for inspiration. Now the jacket was much too hot for him. Burning up inside, he zipped the jacket all the way down and threw it to the side. He would apologize to Taeyong later.

A few minutes later, the large wooden door cracked open and Donghyuck slipped out. His red swollen eyes betrayed the fact that he had been crying despite his dry face. He had also changed into a large grey hoodie, with the hood pulled over.

Mark opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Seeing Donghyuck like this had put him at a loss. What could he say to the boy that was standing before him, wringing his hands underneath those long sleeves. But he had to say something. Not only was his friendship with Donghyuck on the line, but also any shot of romance with him that Mark could ever have.

“I’m sorry.” Mark tried to meet Donghyuck’s eyes, but when Donghyuck’s gaze changed from upset to furious, he had to look away. Mark had never seen Donghyuck so angry before.

“You’re sorry? That’s it?” Donghyuck crossed his arms in front of him. “What part are you sorry for, Mark? Toying with me? Playing me like a piece in your game? This is why I stopped hanging out with you guys, I can’t believe—.” He stopped, considering whether or not to blame Mark or his other friends more, but he couldn’t decide. “You’re all such terrible people. I’m done.” He started to turn to go back inside.

“Wait, Donghyuck!” Mark jumped forward to try to stop him from leaving. Now Mark knew that he had seen the text message. “I’m sorry.” He took a breath.

“You just said that, idiot.” Donghyuck’s hand was on the doorknob, one turn away from leaving Mark’s life.

“I’m sorry for not having the courage to ask you out on a date without having to be dared. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry that you had to waste your tears on me.” Mark stopped to catch his breath and looked Donghyuck in the eyes. “And I’m sorry I couldn’t straight up tell you that I like you, Donghyuck. I’m sorry, it’s fine if you never want to talk to me again.” Donghyuck’s glare seemed to let up.

“You are so stupid.” Mark flinched back. “I cannot believe I like someone so stupid.” Donghyuck turned to face him before slapping him on the arm, now bare without the jacket.

“Wait, what? You like me too?” Mark blurted, before mentally berating himself. He needed to start processing his thoughts before he said them.

“Do I need to say it again?” Donghyuck brought his hands, covered by sleeves, up to his face right beneath his eyes which narrowed again.

“I just wanted to make sure,” Mark said and stepped closer. “You know—I could never fake my feelings for you.” Mark reached forward to pull Donghyuck’s hands away from his face and replaced them with his hands instead. Donghyuck reached to grab Mark’s white shirt. Mark leaned forward, giving Donghyuck a chance to pull away if he wanted. He backed into the door but reached up to meet Mark in the middle, lips pressing against lips. They stayed like that for a few moments before Mark plucked up the courage to move his lips a bit, right before Donghyuck jolted backwards.

Mark opened his eyes in shock, scared that he did something wrong before seeing that Doyoung had opened the door to check on them. Looking scandalized, Doyoung creaked the door shut again as Donghyuck took a step forward and laughed. Mark laughed and grabbed his hands, pulling him in for another kiss.

 

* * *

 

“Okay I know I said I didn’t mind third wheeling you and Jeno, but Mark and Donghyuck are really pushing it.” Jaemin said this to Renjun, who was walking beside him, eating an ice cream cone. Jeno was walking on the other side of Renjun, their arms linked. The three of them were walking behind Mark and Donghyuck, who had their clammy hands clasped together. Mark was holding their ice cream cone in his left hand and would bring it over to Donghyuck for him to eat. 

“At least Jeno and Renjun don’t share an ice cream cone!” Jaemin said loud enough for the pair in front of them to hear.

Donghyuck turned his head to stick his tongue out at him, before turning back to peck Mark on the cheek. Mark laughed and smiled back at him. The sun was shining bright above them, threatening to melt their ice cream.

Later, when they escaped to nearby park bench by themselves, Mark pulled Donghyuck in for a soft kiss. Mark’s hand slipped behind the nape of Donghyuck’s neck, ice cream cone long gone. Donghyuck enjoyed how Mark tasted like cookies and Mark enjoyed feeling Donghyuck smile against his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Hoped you enjoyed reading this! Let me know what you think!


End file.
